Deforestation is a longstanding problem in Colombia, a country that contains a significant portion of the Amazon rainforest and other habitats that are vital for both people and nature. About 42% of the country’s territory is covered by the Amazon rainforest. So we welcome news that 2023 saw the lowest level of deforestation in Colombia in the last 23 years, with the figures representing a 36% reduction from 2022 and 54% compared to 2021. WWF-Colombia is a long-term partner in joint efforts with the Ministry of Environment and others to safeguard the country’s forests, with the progress we’ve made together the result of robust conservation strategies and implementing public policies aimed at sustainability and environmental protection. A key factor has been the role of communities, with over 500 community organizations taking part in forest conservation and monitoring activities in 2023.
Photo: © Camilo Diaz
A new US$77.8 million initiative to tackle floods and build climate resilience in Pakistan has been launched – the country’s largest ever investment in nature-based solutions to help adapt to climate change. The Recharge Pakistan project, supported by Coca-Cola Foundation, GCF, USAID and WWF, is desperately needed in a country where its flood-management infrastructure has been in question since the super floods of 2010. The catastrophic flooding in 2022, when Pakistan received more than 190% of its normal annual rainfall over just two months, further reinforced the need for action; more than one-third of the country was submerged in water and more than 33 million people were impacted. The project, which aims to address a range of climate challenges such as super floods, widespread rains, heatwaves and droughts, will support the country’s most vulnerable communities – directly benefitting more than 680,000 people and indirectly supporting more than seven million. The project is being implemented by local communities, government departments and WWF-Pakistan at sites in the Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.
Photo: © Ghulam Rasool / WWF-Pakistan
Currently, governments spend an estimated US$470 billion every year on agricultural subsidies that damage forests and other natural ecosystems – causing biodiversity loss but also harming the interests of small-scale farmers and local communities. Action is urgently needed so we are delighted to share our new report, which offers a framework for identifying and redirecting harmful agricultural subsidies to supporting positive action, ranging from forest conservation and restoration to sustainable land use practices. The report draws on lessons from Brazil and Malawi, and builds on the agreement, under the UN Global Biodiversity Framework, to act against agricultural subsidies that harm forests and other natural ecosystems.
Photo: © Staffan Widstrand / WWF
Technology, from the use of wildlife camera traps to environmental DNA sampling, is an increasingly important ally in global conservation efforts. Until now, however, there has been a lack of well-organized information about conservation tools and the individuals and organizations developing and using them. To help fill this important knowledge gap, WWF and partners have launched a wiki-style discovery platform for conservationists, researchers and technologists to share their experience with different technologies, explore what tools are available, see what the conservation technology sector recommends, and connect with relevant individuals. The new platform, called The Inventory, has been developed by WILDLABS, the global conservation technology network held in partnership by Conservation International, Fauna & Flora, Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF.
Photo: © Israel Vale / WWF-Brazil
When people live close to the forest, human-wildlife conflicts often arise. But there are ways to create harmony and build a sustainable future for both people and nature. A case in point is a village near Hwange National Park, the largest national park in Zimbabwe, where the potential for conflict between villagers and local wildlife – the park is home to 45,000 elephants – is very real. The loss of crops, a vital income source, to raiding elephants is a disaster. That’s why we have supported the purchase of beehives: providing both a welcome additional income stream from honey – particularly important during times of drought when crops can fail – and a protective barrier against elephants. Despite the enormous size difference between the two, elephants will try to avoid the risk of multiple bee stings on sensitive areas such as ears, eyes and trunks. This support is one of the ways WWF is delivering on our commitment, part of our Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa programme, to restore 500,000 hectares of land across Zimbabwe by 2027.
Photo: © Troy Enekvist / WWF-Sweden
Years of dedicated conservation by WWF and others has resulted in a record-breaking number of nests in one of the loggerhead turtle’s most crucial nesting areas in the Mediterranean. So far this year, over 2,350 nests have been recorded on the Greek island of Zakynthos’ Sekania beach (data from ARCHELON and the local management authority), with the total expected to increase to 2,500 by the end of 2024 – a dramatic increase from last year’s 2,033 nests, which was itself the highest ever recorded number at the time. WWF-Greece has worked closely with the local community, the Zakynthos National Marine Park management authority and other NGOs to safeguard the nesting area – a stretch of sandy beach less than 550 metres long. Back in 1994, we led a campaign that enabled us to buy 90% of the area around Sekania – helping us to prevent harmful tourist development around the nesting site and ensure it’s managed in the best possible way.
Photo: © Michel Gunther / WWF
